Tuesday, February 9, 2010

DVD Review: Carriers (2009)

Our Disclaimer: We are not professional movie critics. We are two mouthy broads who love to spout our opinions about horror movies. We're not going to recap the movie, since more than likely you've already seen whatever it is we're talking about. Instead, we've got a link to a synopsis so you can read up on the plot. We discuss spoilers; you have been warned.

CARRIERS (2009)

PATRICE: Is it just me, or was that the least
interesting, least scary horror movie ever?

KELLY: I wouldn't call it least interesting, I do
love me some post-apocalyptic movies, but I agree that it wasn't very scary. It was more like a post-apocalyptic TV movie of
the week.

PATRICE: It had potential but it was just dull. I kept thinking that Zombieland did it so
much better, the whole traveling to a safe place and fending off the bad guys
angle, that is.

KELLY: It sort of reminded me of The Day After, remember that old TV cold war movie?

PATRICE:
Yeah.

KELLY: It was nice and depressing, an interesting
concept, but it never really startled me or shook me or anything, just sort of
makes you think, but that’s about it. I
don't know what, but something was missing.

PATRICE:
I think it was little investment in the characters for me. Then when the guy and then his girlfriend get
the disease, I'm thinking, well DUH.

KELLY: I did kind of like the fact that they just
abandoned one of the main characters and then that's it, you never know what
happens to her. You don't get that too
much in American horror films, they usually have to play out a story line or
make it have some sort of semi-happy ending.

PATRICE:
And then there's Christopher Meloni. Always nice to look at…

KELLY: Yeah, I was thinking the same thing...

Best part of the movie...

PATRICE:
So yeah…I think the little girl portion
of the story was really the only well developed part. Then they really just let it drop at the
facility where there was supposed to be a vaccine, so the doctor was losing it
and planned to kill all those poor kids and then the main characters left the
dad and little girl behind...

KELLY: Damn teenagers! Or twenty-somethings, or whatever the hell
they were.

PATRICE: And then…oh well…nothing. I just kept waiting
for it to be more…something. I did like
the brothers story, but again, it was pretty vague. I think it could have been much better. But hey, on paper, it probably seemed really
thrilling.

KELLY: I feel you, it felt like it might go somewhere
and then it never really did. Can't put my finger on it, on what it was
lacking, because on the surface it looks like a well-formed movie. However,
once the movie was finished, I found myself ambivalent about the ending. Didn't
hate it, didn't love it.

PATRICE:
Agreed. That's about the size of it.

KELLY:
There was a lot of hubbub a while back about it not having a wide-release in
theaters, and now I totally understand why it was decided to focus on the DVD
rental market instead. Just doesn't have that big-screen feel.

PATRICE:
Yeah, I can see that.

KELLY: Now, all that being said, I wouldn't call it a
bad movie. If someone has it and you need to kill an afternoon, it’s got enough
entertainment value to make it worth the watch, but I wouldn't recommend anyone
go out of their way for it. Which is too
bad, because I love the subject matter and I love me some Chris Pine as well. That's his name right? Who the hell cares,
he's eye candy, pure and simple.

PATRICE:
Nice looking cast altogether - not hard to watch! I would love to have known more about the
crew that was holed up in that hotel they broke into, they really could have
done more to that scene. I had too many
questions and not enough answers.

KELLY: Maybe that was done on purpose. You get thrown
into it and know just as much about the surroundings as the protagonists do. Perhaps that was part of the angle of the
movie?

PATRICE:
Too bad the protagonists weren't all that interesting. It really only works if you're thinking
"OMG this is so crazy, what is going ON?!?!" But I was thinking
"That's weird. What's up with that? Huh." Not to bash it completely, but it’s just not
a heart-racer.

KELLY
& PATRICE: Final verdict – the movie
basically exists. Not bad, not great,
just there. Had great potential, but
never quite reaches it.